Means for controlling the starting of internal combustion engines



June 7, 1938. R. G. FULCHER ET AL 2,119,672

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE STARTING OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 4, 1937 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE STARTING OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Roy G. Fulcher and William T. Carle, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Mary Baker Fulcher, Chicago, 111.

Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 123,968

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for controlling the starting of internal combustion engines and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The means above mentioned, with which the present invention is more particularly concerned, is of the kind illustrated in United States Letters Patent 1,912,669 granted to Herbert Horatio Trail on June 6, 1933.

The means in said patent has certain objections which the present invention seeks to overcome and among said objections mentioned is the cost of the parts going thereinto, the non-positiveness of starting the engine with a resulting battery drainage, and the requirement of a considerable amount of switch movement in manipu lating the same, making it somewhat difiicult for use by inexperienced persons with the possibility of getting out of order.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a means of this kind which is more simple in construction and is, therefore, more economical to produce, is more positive in its engine starting operations and requires less switch movement so as to be easy to manipulate by inexperienced persons and is not apt to get out of order.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the preferred form of the invention.

Figs, 2 and 3 are diagrammatic views illustrating the positions of parts of a switch forming a part of the invention, when said switch is in the full on and in the running positions.

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the accompanying drawing, l0 indicates an electric starting motor, now conventional in automotive vehicles for starting the engines thereof. As shown herein, the motor is provided at one end with a hollow housing I I and one end of the armature shaft H of said motor is journalled in the end wall of the housing. A portion of the shaft within the housing is formed with helical ribs or splines l3 and on said portion of said shaft is mounted a pinion I4. The pinion is adapted for a rotative as well as an axial movement on the shaft l2, into and out of operative engagement with the ring gear on the fly wheel of the engine (not shown) with which it is associated for starting purposes.

On the inner end of said pinion is provided a radial flange having a smooth rounded periphcry. A longitudinally extending spring contact finger I6 is secured along one end to the inner surface of the housing in a manner whereby it is insulated therefrom. The other end of said finger is so formed that when the pinion travels axially outward on the shaft, the flange l5 engages and makes a suitable contact therewith. The housing mentioned may be grounded as at I! to any convenient part of the associated vehicle.

18 indicates an electromagnet associated with the motor for controlling the passage of electric current to the motor whereby the same is energized and deenergized. As herein shown, said magnet includes a casing l9 enclosing a coil 20 and an associated core 2| which is spring-pressed in one direction. This core carries a bridge piece 22 at one end. When the coil is energized, it causes the core to move outwardly and into engagement with a pair of contacts 23 and 24, secured in one end of the casing, so as to electrically connect the same together. One of said contacts is operatively connected to a terminal post 25 of the motor, while the other contact is arranged to have a conductor or line attached thereto and which will be referred to later. In the other end of the casing is provided a pair of terminals 28 and 21 respectively for the coil of the electromagnet.

A manually operable switch 28 is associated with the means thus far described and said switch may be in the form of a key actuated ignition lock as is now conventional in automotive vehicles. As herein shown, said switch includes a support 29 and a shaft 30 is arranged therein for a limited turning movement. This shaft carries a contact arm 3| electrically connected thereto and said shaft in turn is connected by a line 32 to one side of a battery 33, the other side of which is grounded. An arm 34 of insulation is secured to the arm 3 I, but is arranged in opposite relation thereto. A contact finger 35 is carried on the free end of the insulation arm and a contact finger 36 is carried on the free end of the arm 3|. The switch arms are adapted for a short turning movement clockwise from off through the running position to a full on position, the return to 01f position being a counterclockwise movement. The switch arms normally stand in an off position up against a stop pin 31, a spring 3'! holding the arm in this position.

A relatively long arcuate contact 38 is fixed in the support 29 to the right hand side of the arm 3! when in the off position, and a pair of spaced spot contacts 39 and 40 respectively are fixed in the support 29 to the left hand side of the switch arm 34 when in said off position. The contacts 39 and 40 are so arcuately spaced and the contact 38 is of such arcuate length that when the arms 3l34 are in the full on position, the contact finger 35 bridges the contacts 39 and ill and the contact finger 38 engages the contact 38.

The contact 38 has a line 4! connected thereto and said line leads to the ignition system of the associated engine. A line 52 is provided between the line i! and the terminal post 25 of the electromagnet it. A line :13 connects the contact 39 with the other terminal post 2? of said electromagnet and the spring contact finger iii in the housing i of the motor is connected to the line :13 by another line '54. The contact all is grounded as at '55. The contact 23 or" the electromagnet i3 is connected by a line 32 to the line 32.

In the support 29 is provided a recess 46 which, when the switch is in the running position, is adapted to receive a yielding detent ill on the switch arm 3!. Ihis detent and recess arrangement is such as to hold the switch arms iii-3d in running position against the action of the spring 37*. A second stop pin 48 is provided in the support This pin is adapted to be engaged by the arm to limit the turning movement of said arm to the full on position.

The parts are shown in Fig. 1 in the off position. To start the associated engine, the switch arms 3i and 34 are swung to the full on position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the finger 36 of the arm 35 engages the contact 38 and the contact finger 35 bridges and engages both spot contacts 39 and 46. This connects the ignition system with the battery 33 through the contact 3S, finger 3%, arm 3!, shaft 3i] and line 32. Current also passes from the line 4| through line 2-2 to the terminal 26 of the electro-magnet I8, through the coil 26, terminal 2'5, line 43, contact 3:2, to contact it] through the bridging contact finger 35 to the ground 45.

This energizes the coil 2% of the magnet 8 to cause a movement of the associated core 24 whereby its bridge piece 22 engages the contacts 23 and 24. Current then passes from the battery 33, through a part of line 32 to and through the line the contact 23, bridge piece 22, contact 24 to the terminal post 25 of the starting motor it which is thus energized.

When the motor is energized, the armature shaft i2 is rotated and this causes the pinion to rotate and travel outwardly on the helical portion id of the shaft to engage the flywheel of the associated engine so as to crank the same. As the pinion moves outwardly on said helical portion of the shaft 62, its flange 95 engages the contact finger it to connect it to the ground I! through parts of the motor it].

It is apparent that when the switch 28 is in the full on position as shown in Fig. 2, two ground connections are provided for the electromagnet it, one through the line 63, contact 39, contact piece 35'": and contact M3 and the other through the lines 13- 3 9, finger Iii, pinion t through the motor to ground 51.

After the switch 28 has been turned to its on position, it may be released so that it returns to the running position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the detent il engages in the recess 48 to hold it against the return action of the spring 37 At this time, the contact finger 35 has passed oh the contact 38 but remains on the contact 39, the contact finger 36 still engaging the contact 38. At this time the ignition is on and the electromagnet it is still operating to hold the motor circuit closed because the ground connection for the electromagnet is still being maintained through the lines @3-44, finger l6, pinion I4 and housing H to the ground ll. Thus, the ignition is on and the motor Hi is energized to crank and start the engine. When the engine is running under its own power, it drives the pinion M which moves inwardly on the helical portion 13 of the shaft I2, thus moving the pinion fiange l5 out of engagement with the finger it, thus breaking the circuit for the motor which becomes deenergized and steps.

In Fig. 4 we have illustrated a modified form of the invention and wherein the closing of the ignition circuit and the closing of one of the first ground connections for the electromagnet I8 may be carried out independently of each other. Thus, the switch structure may be reduced to the simplest and most economical form. As shown in Fig. 4, the parts associated with the ignition circuit are substantially the same as before and the contacts 39 and 46 which are the same as before, are electrically connected up in the same manner.

Instead of employing the contact finger 35 on an arm 34 which is movable with the arm 3|, we mount said finger on a spring pressed plunger 34 arranged in the support 29*. has a head arranged outside of the support 29 in such a convenient location as to be operable by the thumb of the hand turning the switch arm 35. Said plunger also has a contact piece 35 for engagement with the contacts 39 and 40.

In the operation of the structure above mentioned, when the switch arm 3| is turned to its full on position to engage the contact 38, the plunger 3 5 may be depressed inwardly to cause its contact piece 35 to bridge and connect the contacts 39 and 4%]. This, not only energizes the ignition system, but it closes the circuit to the electromagnet !8, which in turn energizes the starting motor for engine cranking purposes. So soon as the motor is energized, it establishes a second ground for the magnet E8 to hold the same closed, as before.

It is not necessary to retain the ground connection for the magnet i8 closed through the contacts 39- 16 and piece 35. Therefore, so soon as the plunger is depressed after turning of the switch arm 3| to on position, the plunger may be released and the motor it remains encrgized so long as the engine requires cranking. When the engine starts, it automatically breaks the circuit to the motor, which stops.

Should the motor be in operation to crank the engine and the engine refuse to start, due to some other faulty condition, a turning of the switch arm 3! back to off position breaks the circuit to the electromagnet it so that it breaks the circuit for the starting motor and said motor stops. The faulty condition of the engine may then be rectified and the procedure for again starting the same is as before described. Should the spring it get out of order so as not to function as intended, this will not prevent engine starting operations because all that it would be necessary to do is to manually hold the switch 28 in the on position shown in Fig. 2 until the engine starts. When the engine has started, the switch is released and it will then return to the running position shown in Fig. 3.

With the arrangement described, a more positive starting of the engine is assured, a less expensive switch structure may be employed with more simple wiring and the amount of movement required for the arms 3!-3 l is reduced While in describing our invention, we have This plunger referred in detail to the construction, form and arrangement of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense, so that we do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with an electric starting motor for an engine, an ignition circuit for said engine, a circuit for said starting motor, electromagnetic means for controlling said starting motor circuit, a third circuit capable of being grounded at a plurality of points so as to energize said electromagnetic means, means includinga plurality of contacts manually movable into and adapted to be held in a position closing said ignition circuit and said third circuit respectively by grounding said third circuit at one of said points so as to energize said electromagnetic means to close the circuit for the starting motor, means actuated by said motor when energized for grounding said third circuit at another of said points, said contacts when said manually operable means is released, operating automatically to break said first mentioned ground connection, but to hold the ignition circuit closed, said starting motor, when driven by the started engine operating automatically to break said second ground connection made therethrough to open said third circuit and deenergize said electromagnetic means.

2. In combination with an electric starting motor for an engine having an axially movable pinion, a circuit for said starting motor, an ignition circuit for said engine, electromagnetic means for controlling said starting motor circuit, a third circuit capable of being grounded at a plurality of points so as to energize said electromagnetic means to close the starting motor circuit, means including a plurality of contacts manually movable into and adapted to be held in a position closing said ignition circuit and said third circuit respectively by grounding said third circuit at one of said points so as to close the circuit for the starting motor, means actuated by the axially movable pinion when the starting motor has been energized for grounding said third circuit at another of said points, said contacts when said manually operable means is released, operating automatically to break said first mentioned ground connection, but to hold the ignition circuit closed, said pinion, when driven by the started engine, operating upon said means actuated thereby to break said second ground connection made therethrough to open said third circuit and deenergize said electromagnetic means.

3. In combination with an electric starting motor for an engine, an ignition circuit for said engine, a circuit for said starting motor, electromagnetic means for controlling said starting motor circuit, a third circuit capable of being grounded at a plurality of points so as to energize said electromagnetic means, to close the starting motor circuit, a switch including an ignition circuit contact, an electromagnetic means circuit contact and a ground contact constituting one of said grounded points for said third circuit, a switch arm associated with said contacts and movable in one direction from an off position, through a running position to a full on position and movable in the other direction back to said running position, said switch arm when moved from said on position to the full on position, engaging the ignition contact, and said electromagnetic means contact and said ground contact respectively to connect the latter two contacts in circuit to close the ignition circuit and to ground said third circuit respectively through one of said points and thus energize said third circuit to cause said electromagnetic means to close the motor circuit and energize said starting motor, means actuated by said starting motor when energized for grounding said third circuit at another of said points, said switch arm when released, automatically returning to said run ning position and moving out of engagement with said ground contact to break the first mentioned ground connection but to hold the ignition circuit closed, said starting motor, when driven by the started engine operating automatically to break said second ground connection made therethrough to open said third circuit and deenergize said electromagnetic means.

4. In combination with an electric starting motor for an engine, an ignition circuit for said engine, a circuit for the starting motor, electromagnetic means for controlling said starting motor circuit, a third circuit capable of being grounded at a plurality of points so as to energize said electromagnetic means, manually operative means for closing the ignition circuit and for momentarily closing said third circuit by grounding the same at one of said points so as to energize said electromagnetic means to close said starting motor circuit, said manually operable means being formed for operation requiring closing of the ignition circuit in order to complete said third circuit, means actuated by said motor when energized for grounding said third circuit at the other of said points before said first mentioned ground connection for said third circuit is broken, said starting motor, when driven by the started engine operating automatically to break said second ground connection made therethrough to open said third circuit and deenergize said electromagnetic means.

5. In combination with an electric starting motor for an engine, an ignition circuit for said engine, a circuit for said starting motor, electromagnetic means for controlling said starting motor circuit, a third circuit fed from the ignition circuit and capable of being grounded at a plurality of points so as to energize said electromagnetic means, manually operable means for closing the ignition circuit and for closing said third circuit by grounding the same at one of said points so as to energize said electromagnetic means to close the starting motor circuit, said manually operable means being formed for operation requiring closing of the ignition circuit in order to complete said third circuit, means actuated by said motor when energized for grounding said third circuit at another of said points before said first mentioned ground connection for said third circuit is broken, said starting motor when driven by the started engine operating automatically to break said second ground connection made therethrough to open said third circuit and deenergize said electromagnetic means.

ROY G. FULCHER. WILLIAM T. CARLE. 

